Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-10-05


were large and brown. and had a
solemn look I'm them that made one
feel eerie; and when / went to see
him and had been IN some "scrape''
at school during the week. felt down.
right ashamed of myself when those
wonderful eyes looked at me. His
face was very pale, and he was so thin
and fragile that it seemed as II the
lightest breath of wind might blow
him away.
Sometimes / told him stories about
frogs and monkeys and things like
that-awfully silly, but they pleased
him-and he would lie there smiling
at the ridiculous thing told, and yet
all the time his grave. earnest eyes
seemed to say to me that their littlc
owner was too dignified to care about
such babyish stories. OF course ne
wasn't. He did like to hear them, but
nevertheless his eyes had that queer
expression. suppose it was the pain
he had all the time. for poor Bernie
had had bad fall. and his back was
hurt somehow, and he suff cred terri
bly,, the doctor told me. Yet the
brave little fellow never cried, but
bore the agony like the hero he was,
end even ] did not realize until after
ward how much courage he was show
ing by his patient endurance.
used to bring him toys sometimes,
but l noticed that he didn't seem to
care much for them, and l often won-
dered what there was he would like.
Meanwhile my parents were home
again. and was no longer in boarding
school; and just about this time it be-
came very warm in the city, and, as
every one knows, there is nothing so
nice as ice-cream soda-w water on a hot
day, and therefore when l left Bernie
one morning went down to Huyler's
TO get some. and there met Kitty DIM
pie. Kitty was my most particular
friend; that is, we always bought hats
alike and had our tin-types taken to-
gether and walked on Fifth avenue with
each other and were very "chummy"
indeed.
"Oh. you dear thingr' cried Kitty
(she is ever so enthusiastic), II am so
glad to see you. for want you to
promise TO 60 with me next Saturday.
I have a splendid plan arranged. First,
we'll have our pictures taken, and then
lunch together and afterward
take drive. Will your All,
do say yes" OF course / did,
and then I began to feel ashamed.
WhyP Because that very morning !
had asked Bernie if there was any
thing he wanted that l could get, and
what do you suppose he saidP Not
thing boys would be apt to ask for
just n white rose. Wasn't it queerp
OF course / promised to bring it to him
the next Saturday. knew / wouldn't
be able to do so until thcn-and now
/ had told Kitty l would spend the
day with her. However, l console d
myself by thinking that perhaps the
sisters at the hospital would let me
see Bernie before went to X itty's,
that is before visitors hours, and 1
resolved to get up early that coming
Saturday and carry the rose to my
boy" as called him.
But when the day came was so ex-
cited about going out that l forgot all
about Bernie. and never thought of
him again until Monday. Then felt
so penitent l made up my mind that
nothing should keep me from going to
see the dear little fellow and bring
him his rose. The next Saturday
came and it poured rain, and mamma
would not allow me 10 go out for any
thing, because had bad cold any
way; so again my visit had to be post
poned week.
When at last Saturday morning
dawned bright and pleasant 1 hurried
through my studying and started for
the hospital. 1 stopped on the way
and bought great big white rose. 1t
was lovely one, and / was looking at
it admiringly when l heard a familiar
voice say: ''My! what beautiful
rose' and there stood Kitty Dimple
and her cousin, who had just come
from Paris, and whom had been most
anxious to meet. "And now, dear"
said Kitty, when greetings and intro
auctions were over "you must 90 with
us. Now, don't shake your head, for
you must go. Your mother won't
worry; she never expects you home
before four o. clock; and l want you to
go with us to luncheon. But we will
have to start right away, because it is
eleven o'clock, and we want to call on
Flo Mcclellan first"
hesitated. II was great tempta-
ton, for Flo and l were very good
friends, but we had had wager for fun
as to who would meet Kitty's cousin
first, and had, and felt little bit
proud and wanted to show off So at
last, like n ninny, consented to go, and
all the while my conscience pricked
me dreadfully. But went, and,
worse yet, wore Bernic's white rose,
and while we were calling on Flo.
Kitty's cousin asked me for it and
gave 1t 20 him, just to vex Flo, be-
cause she had flowers on, too, and he
didn't ask her for any.
1 did not enjoy that day neverthe-
less. We had delicious lunch. but
to me nothing tasted well, and Kitty
seemed too silly for anything, and as
for her elegant cousin from Paris, he
was the most harmlessly idiotic young
man ever met; and by-and-by hap
pened to think that perhaps mamma
lilo NM eropd;o q, o N ~ Il az, Il m a,
with Kitty, because she hadn't quite
approved of 1t the time before, so al
together l began to feel thoroughly
and you may be sure that
the next week / hurried around to that
hospital, only stopping once, and that
was to buy whole bunch of white
roses.
The sister who attended to Bernie's
ward met me at the door. She looked